Coalition of Northern mayors, businesses, universities, tourism, culture and sport will take North’s offer to India following landmark trade deal
Northern Mayors will lead a coalition from across the North of England to India next week to seize economic opportunities unlocked by the new UK–India Free Trade Agreement.
The UK-India FTA could increase economies in the North of England by £450 million a year in the long run, with Mayors leading the visit to secure new investment, jobs, help businesses grow and attract more talent and visitors to the North.
Nearly 200 representatives from across the North – bringing together mayors, businesses, universities and leaders from tourism, culture and sport – will promote the North’s economic opportunity. It is the first visit to India since the FTA came into effect, and represents the first time the North of England has joined forces to promote itself on the global stage.
The Northern delegation, delivered in partnership with HSBC, will be led by mayors through The Great North, working alongside the UK Government. Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds will join Northern leaders for part of the mission, alongside a senior UK business delegation.
The mission will take the North’s investment and trade proposition directly to one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies, with Northern leaders targeting new Indian investment, helping Northern businesses win customers and contracts, attracting more Indian visitors and forging new partnerships between universities, businesses and institutions.
Chair of The Great North and North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said:
“The North is going to India with ambition, confidence and a simple message: we want to seize every opportunity this new trade deal creates.
“That’s why we’re not waiting for the benefits to come to us. We’re taking the North’s leading businesses, universities, sports clubs and visitor destinations to India to win investment, open doors for our businesses, bring more visitors to the North and build relationships that can last for generations.
“From clean energy and advanced manufacturing to life sciences, technology and our creative industries, the North has world-class strengths and a compelling offer to India.
“When the North comes together, we are mighty – and we’re excited to showcase the best of our regions on the global stage, to help bring jobs, prosperity and opportunity back home.”
Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:
“From agreeing the India trade deal with Minister Goyal in Hyde Park last year to seeing it come into force this summer, the coalition of Northern mayors and businesses is an exciting initiative in the next stage our partnership which is packed with economic opportunities from our most significant deal to date.
“From Sunderland to Skye this is what will drive economic growth across the country, where government lays the groundwork for businesses and organisations to work together with international partners to create jobs and opportunities for now and for the future.”
UK Government analysis estimates the new trade agreement could boost the economies of the North West, Yorkshire and the Humber and North East by £450 million every year in the long run – £210m in the North West, £170m in Yorkshire and the Humber and £70m in the North East.
The combined delegations bring together major employers and investors, Northern SMEs and entrepreneurs, universities, visitor destinations, cultural and sporting organisations – presenting a single Northern proposition to Indian government, investors and businesses.
A North-wide programme to turn opportunity into growth
The mission will combine major collective North of England events with targeted programmes across India, focused on converting the new trading relationship into tangible opportunities.
Planned activity includes:
Winning investment for the North – Northern mayors will pitch the region’s investment opportunities directly to Indian investors and businesses, alongside targeted company meetings and engagement with senior Indian political and business leaders.
A flagship North of England trade and investment event in Delhi – bringing together Northern and Indian businesses for networking, investment pitches and sector roundtables covering advanced manufacturing, life sciences, clean energy and technology, creative industries, and digital and technology.
High-level government engagement – Northern mayors, joined by the Business Secretary, are expected to meet Indian ministers, the British High Commissioner, dignitaries and business leaders to explore new opportunities for trade, investment and collaboration.
Opening doors for Northern businesses – connecting companies from across the North with potential Indian customers, investors and commercial partners, helping firms take advantage of improved market access created by the FTA.
Taking the North’s visitor offer to India – VisitBritain, Northern destinations and tourism businesses will showcase the North directly to Indian travel buyers, helping attract more international visitors and encourage people to discover more of England beyond London.
Building university and research partnerships – Northern universities will participate in British Council and Study UK activity and direct engagement with Indian institutions, developing opportunities for research, innovation, student exchange and collaboration.
Using sport and culture to build relationships – sporting and cultural organisations will form part of the Northern coalition, using the huge shared appeal of areas including football and cricket to deepen connections between India and the North.
Targeted programmes across India – individual Northern delegations will undertake activity in Bengaluru, Hyderabad and other locations, pursuing investment opportunities and partnerships linked directly to their regional economic strengths.
The mission is designed to build a long-term relationship rather than a one-off visit, with a programme of business, university, investment, tourism, cultural and sporting partnerships being developed across the North.
It forms part of The Great North’s work to build a stronger collective international proposition for Northern England and secure more investment, trade and visitors for communities across the region.
Mayor of Greater Manchester Bev Craig said:
“India is already a hugely important partner to Greater Manchester and I’m excited to strengthen those links even further.
“My job as Mayor is to back our city region. Greater Manchester is an important voice on the global stage and in India I’ll be joined by a 60-strong delegation of businesses, universities, sports clubs and cultural institutions from across our city region to help tell that story.
“Over the past five years, investment from Indian companies has created more than 500 new jobs in Greater Manchester. We’ve seen fragrance manufacturer Keva invest £8 million in a new research centre, and just last month RPSG Group and Lancashire Cricket announced plans to build a new high-performance cricket centre next to Old Trafford Cricket Ground.
“We’ve built strong foundations and the Free Trade Agreement gives us a further boost. The prize is an additional £210 million for the North West’s economy, and that means more trade and investment, more international visitors, and closer links in culture and sport, creating new jobs for our residents and opportunities for our businesses.”
Mayor of the Liverpool City Region Steve Rotheram, said:
“India is a hugely important market for the North, and there’s a massive amount we can gain by building stronger relationships with businesses, universities and institutions there.
“In the Liverpool City Region we already have strong links with India, but this is about taking that relationship to the next level. Coming together as the Great North, the Liverpool City Region can make sure the world sees the scale and strength of what we’ve got to offer – and that the opportunities that come from it are felt right across our communities.”
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said:
“Here in West Yorkshire we have a proud track record of turning conversations into results, whether it’s hundreds of jobs in Leeds off the back of a meeting in Bangalore, or millions of pounds of investment after a visit to Mumbai.
“While this landmark trade mission will build on that success, it will also empower us to do so much more, by bringing the whole of the North of England together for the very first time to champion our communities and bat for our businesses abroad.
“Together, we’ll be speaking with one voice to send one clear message. If you’re looking for the best place in the world to invest and grow – with outstanding universities, exceptional talent and extraordinary businesses – then the North of England is where opportunity lives.”
David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, said:
“There’s never been a better time to go out to India representing the North. Together we can strike new deals and bring home the quality jobs our communities deserve.
“We already have strong connections in India and they will only get stronger as the University of York recently welcomed their first students at its new Mumbai campus. We’re ready to showcase what our county does best, from the creative industries that inspire, leading-edge research in the bioeconomy, and food and farming innovations that feed us.”
Mayor Luke Campbell MBE, Mayor of Hull and East Yorkshire, said:
“When the North goes out into the world together, we carry more weight. The Great North gives us a bigger platform, and I want Hull and East Yorkshire right at the heart of it.
“We have a lot to offer. We are strong in energy, manufacturing, ports and logistics, food and innovation, and we have businesses here with the ambition to grow. I want investors and businesses in India to know who we are, what we make and what we can do.
“India is a major market, and the new trade agreement gives us a real chance to open doors. I am going with a clear purpose: to make the case for our region, build the right relationships and bring home investment, new customers, contracts and opportunities that can turn into jobs and growth.
“Going together as the North gives us scale, but I will be there making sure Hull and East Yorkshire is seen and heard. We have confidence in our region and something real to offer.
“Our mission – bring opportunities home.”
South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard said:
“One of the best things about being Mayor is that I get to tell people about this brilliant place we call home. Not just because I’m proud of South Yorkshire, but because I’m determined to make sure more people around the world know all about the things we do here so well; so that companies, investors and entrepreneurs know to choose South Yorkshire when making decisions about where to put their investment and their jobs.
“I’m leading our South Yorkshire delegation to India, where we’ll be telling everyone we can about our world-leading advanced manufacturing businesses, our brilliant universities, and our thriving tech sector – and everything else that makes us such a special place to invest.
“And I’ll be doing it all alongside my fellow Yorkshire mayors, promoting God’s own country in one of the fastest growing economies in the world.”
Cllr Louise Gittins, Chair, Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority, said:
“We have an ambitious programme for growth in Cheshire and Warrington and joining The Great North’s mission to India will open new doors for trade and investment in our region.
“With support from representatives from Bentley, Essar, the University of Chester and some of our small businesses, we will show that Cheshire and Warrington is ready for investment in innovation and sustainable economic growth.”
Chris Woodroofe, Managing Director of Manchester Airport, said: “We are proud to connect the North to the world and especially to fast-growing economies like India that have so many cultural and economic synergies with our region. More than 500,000 people a year travel between the North and India through Manchester Airport, reflecting the close ties that already exist between the two places.
“This mission demonstrates a shared desire across the North to forge even stronger connections with India, through trade, tourism, investment, culture, sport and academic collaboration.
“As the UK’s global gateway in the North, we look forward to working with all our partners to see this important relationship go from strength to strength, helping the region compete on the global stage.”
Dr Natasha Boulding, CEO and Co-founder, Low Carbon Materials, an SME based in County Durham, said:
“Low Carbon Materials is joining the Great North mission because India is building at a scale the world has never seen, and the materials it chooses now will shape global emissions for decades. Concrete is the world’s most widely used building material. Our product, ACLA, is a carbon-negative additive that cuts its carbon footprint while improving performance.
“India could also play a part in our supply chain. We are exploring partnerships to source biochar made from Indian crop waste that would otherwise be burned, turning it into a low-carbon material for construction. Links like these, built through shared university and business networks, are exactly what we want to grow.
“For us, a successful mission means new partners in India’s construction sector, pilot projects with Indian concrete producers and a stronger supply chain between our two countries.
“Working together, UK and Indian businesses can move faster. The North brings world-class materials science and advanced manufacturing. India brings scale, ambition and a thriving startup scene.”
Dr. Kishore Jayaraman OBE, Group CEO, UK India Business Council, said:
“India is UK’s one of the most important economic partners, and the UK–India Free Trade agreement creates real momentum to deepen that relationship. UKIBC is proud to partner with The Great North to support this first-ever joint Northern delegation to India, helping connect Northern businesses, universities and civic leaders with opportunities across key growth sectors. There is enormous collective scale across the North, but also very different strengths and opportunities within each region. By bringing together a Northern economy worth over £340 billion, this mission will help turn ambition into practical outcomes. Our role is to bring UKIBC’s knowledge, networks and presence in India alongside that ambition and help turn it into opportunities.”
Stuart Tait, Head of Commercial Banking at HSBC:
“India and the North of England have complementary strengths, from advanced manufacturing and life sciences to technology, clean energy and creative industries. The new UK–India Free Trade Agreement creates an important platform for businesses to deepen these connections, expand into new markets and attract investment.
“HSBC is proud to support this mission, helping Northern businesses build the international relationships, manage the complexities of cross-border trade and turn the agreement’s potential into tangible growth, jobs and opportunity for communities across the region. Strong collaboration between businesses, government, universities and financial institutions will be key to making this long-term partnership a success.”
